Report on Water Management Conflict at Kapalua Resort and its Implications for Sustainable Development Goals

Executive Summary

A severe water access dispute at the Kapalua Golf Resort in Maui, Hawaii, threatens the viability of the PGA Tour’s season-opening tournament. The conflict, centered on the management of a local water delivery system, presents a case study in the challenges of achieving several key Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This report analyzes the situation through the lens of SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation), SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth), SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities), and SDG 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions).

Water Resource Management and Infrastructure Challenges (SDG 6 & SDG 15)

Dispute Over the Honokohau Stream and Ditch System

The core of the issue is a failure in the sustainable management of water resources, a primary target of SDG 6. The conflict involves:

• A dispute between Kapalua Resort and Maui Land & Pineapple (MLP) over the maintenance and operation of the 11-mile Honokohau Stream and Ditch System.
• Allegations outlined in an August 18 lawsuit that MLP has failed to properly maintain the critical water delivery infrastructure.
• The imposition of Tier 4 water restrictions by MLP, resulting in a complete cessation of irrigation water to the Plantation golf course since August 29.

Impact on Sustainable Land Management

The water cutoff directly hinders efforts to maintain the ecosystem of the golf course, which is a significant managed landscape. This situation compromises principles related to SDG 15 (Life on Land).

1. The Plantation course has been unable to implement planned water conservation and turf recovery measures, such as verticut mowing and the application of slow-releasing fertilizer.
2. According to General Manager Alex Nakajima, all conservation and maintenance plans are on hold indefinitely due to the lack of water.
3. Kapalua management has stated that the forced dormancy of the turf makes preparation for the tournament “painstaking and tenuous,” threatening the long-term health of the landscape.

Economic and Community Impacts (SDG 8 & SDG 11)

Threats to Local Economic Growth and Decent Work

The potential cancellation of the PGA Tour event poses a significant threat to the local economy, undermining the objectives of SDG 8.

• The tournament is a major economic driver, contributing an estimated $50 million to the West Maui area.
• The disruption jeopardizes jobs, tourism revenue, and the economic stability of the local community that depends on the event.
• The Sentry Insurance-sponsored event has been a cornerstone of the local economy since 1999.

Challenges to Sustainable Communities

The conflict impacts the resilience and sustainability of the local community, a key focus of SDG 11. The uncertainty surrounding a major community asset and economic event creates instability and highlights the vulnerability of the community to infrastructure and governance failures.

Governance, Justice, and Partnerships (SDG 16 & SDG 17)

Breakdown of Institutional Effectiveness and Partnerships

The situation demonstrates a failure of partnership and effective governance, which are essential for achieving all SDGs, as highlighted in SDG 16 and SDG 17.

1. The conflict has escalated to legal action, with Tadashi Yanai, Kapalua homeowners, and Hua Momona Farms filing a lawsuit against MLP. This indicates a breakdown in collaborative resource management.
2. While MLP asserts its actions are consistent with agreements and directives from the Commission on Water Resource Management, the opposing parties allege a failure to uphold its responsibilities.
3. This lack of effective partnership over a shared, vital resource threatens the environmental, economic, and social well-being of the entire Kapalua area.

Conclusion

The water crisis at Kapalua is more than a logistical challenge for a sporting event; it is a critical failure in sustainable development. Addressing the dispute requires a renewed focus on collaborative water governance, resilient infrastructure, and stable economic planning. A resolution that aligns with the principles of the SDGs is necessary to ensure the long-term environmental and economic health of the community.

Analysis of Sustainable Development Goals in the Article

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

• SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation
• SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth
• SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities
• SDG 15: Life on Land
• SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

1. SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation

   • Target 6.4: By 2030, substantially increase water-use efficiency across all sectors and ensure sustainable withdrawals and supply of freshwater to address water scarcity. The article directly addresses this target through its focus on a water scarcity issue, where irrigation for a golf course has been cut off. The dispute over the “century-old water system” and the implementation of “Tier 2 restriction (60% of normal irrigation)” and “Tier 4 (no irrigation)” highlight the challenges in ensuring a sustainable supply of freshwater for a specific economic sector (recreation).
   • Target 6.5: By 2030, implement integrated water resources management at all levels. The conflict described in the article, involving Kapalua Golf Resort, Maui Land & Pineapple (MLP), homeowners, and Hua Momona Farms, all overseen by the “Commission on Water Resource Management,” is a clear example of the challenges in local integrated water resources management. The lawsuit filed against MLP for allegedly not maintaining the water delivery system points to a failure in cooperative management of the shared “Honokohau Stream and Ditch System.”

2. SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth

   • Target 8.9: By 2030, devise and implement policies to promote sustainable tourism that creates jobs and promotes local culture and products. The article highlights the economic importance of the PGA Tour event, which “brings some $50 million to the area.” The water crisis puts this major tourism event “in jeopardy,” thereby threatening local economic growth and the jobs supported by this event. This situation underscores the link between sustainable resource management and sustainable tourism.

3. SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

   • Target 11.5: By 2030, significantly reduce the number of people affected and substantially decrease the direct economic losses relative to global gross domestic product caused by disasters, including water-related disasters. While the water shutdown is a result of a dispute rather than a natural disaster, it functions as a water-related crisis with significant economic implications. The article points to the potential economic loss of “$50 million” and highlights the vulnerability of the community’s economic assets due to the failure of critical infrastructure, specifically the “11-mile Honokohau Stream and Ditch System.” The lawsuit’s claim that MLP “has not maintained the water delivery system” points to a lack of resilient infrastructure.

4. SDG 15: Life on Land

   • Target 15.1: By 2020, ensure the conservation, restoration and sustainable use of terrestrial and inland freshwater ecosystems and their services. The core of the dispute is the management and allocation of water from the “Honokohau Stream,” which is an inland freshwater ecosystem. The conflict over the ditch system that diverts water from this stream is directly related to the sustainable use of this ecosystem and its water resources.

5. SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

   • Target 17.14: Enhance policy coherence for sustainable development. The “dispute” and subsequent “lawsuit” between multiple private entities (Kapalua, MLP, homeowners, farms) and the involvement of a state body (“Commission on Water Resource Management”) indicate a breakdown in policy coherence and governance regarding the management of a shared water resource.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

1. Target 6.4 (Water-use efficiency and scarcity)

   • Indicator (Mentioned): Level of water stress or scarcity. The article explicitly provides a measure of water restrictions imposed on the users: “Tier 2 restriction (60% of normal irrigation)” and “Tier 4 (no irrigation).” These tiers serve as direct, quantifiable indicators of the severity of water scarcity in the area.

2. Target 8.9 (Sustainable tourism)

   • Indicator (Mentioned): Direct economic contribution from tourism. The article states that the PGA tournament “brings some $50 million to the area.” This figure is a direct quantitative indicator of the economic value of this specific tourism activity, which is now at risk.

3. Target 11.5 (Economic losses from disasters)

   • Indicator (Mentioned): Potential direct economic loss from a water-related crisis. The potential loss of the “$50 million” from the tournament serves as an indicator of the direct economic risk associated with the failure of water infrastructure and management.

4. Target 17.14 (Policy coherence)

   • Indicator (Implied): Existence of conflict over natural resources. The article’s central theme of a “dispute” and a “lawsuit” between stakeholders over water rights and infrastructure maintenance serves as a qualitative indicator of a lack of effective governance and partnership.

4. SDGs, Targets and Indicators Table

Source: espn.com